


For The Love Of Books

by watrpeach



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Happy, M/M, VictUuri, Yuri on Ice!!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:13:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28793733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watrpeach/pseuds/watrpeach
Summary: Yuuri hunts down an overdue book and is met with Victor Nikiforov, who isn't using the book as its intended purpose.(Library AU; Yuuri works at a library and Victor doesn't read books)
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	1. The Charm Of A Criminal

The book had been overdue for months. There was a tremendous overdue fee that Yuuri carried in his bag in the form of a piece of paper, which respectfully explained all charges. He was only going by the name of the criminal, Victor Nikiforov, and the address the library had on file for him. He was the unfortunate employee who was sent on the terrifying mission of tracking down their missing book.

Of course it had to be him they chose. The quietest and least-intimidating of the bunch. Sending Takeshi, or hell, even one of the triplets, would've been the better option, but no. This had to be Yuuri's fate, and he was in no position to change it now that he was staring at a large metal door on the inside of a large apartment building. The door was black and plain; the only thing identifying that it was the correct residence was the golden '203' on the door just above the peephole. He was hesitant to knock. He hoped like crazy the person on the other side of the door was kind enough to apologize and cooperate. 

He knocked. It was quiet and he was holding his breath. He waited for at least a minute, and there was no sign of life inside the apartment. He turned to walk away, ready to give up on the situation as a whole, but was stopped by the door opening. He turned to face the man, who was standing in only a pair of sweats. His hair was strewn about his head in a messy manner, and though it was silver, he was far from old. His eyes were hooded and he looked as if he had been sleeping, even though it was only two in the afternoon.

"Hello, are you Victor Nikiforov?" He tried to sound as kind as he possibly could, but his voice wavered nonetheless. 

"I am." He replied, and though he was smiling, Yuuri couldn't shake the anxious feeling in his stomach. "And who do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm Yuuri Katsuki, from the library on fifth street," He nodded, his eyebrows furrowed. "We have on file that you have one of our books. 'Japanese Cooking 101: Volume 4?' It shows that you've had the book since August, and I'm here to deliver the overdue bill since we couldn't get you over the phone." Victor put his hands on his hips, his smile growing. Yuuri was looking anywhere but his face. Or his bare torso.

"I would love to help you out, Yuuri," He opened the door wider. "Look here," He moved so he could see into his large, and surprisingly clean, apartment. A big brown dog was laying on his couch with a wagging tail. He pointed to his television stand, where the book of the hour sat under the corner of one of the legs. "See that? Your book is keeping me from having to buy a new television stand. If I remove that book, which happens to be the perfect size, I will no longer have a place for my precious TV." He turned back to him. Yuuri blinked a few times, wondering how someone who lives in a place like this couldn't afford a new entertainment center for his TV. 

"Yes, I understand, but," He handed him the bill from his bag, neatly folded and in pristine condition, just as it was off the printer. Victor read over it as he kept speaking. "I have a job to fulfill, so I hope _you_ can understand." Victor chuckled. He had no clue where his confidence came from; it had to be the ignorance coming from the stranger.

"I understand perfectly." He handed him back the bill, then reached to a table near the door. He opened his wallet, the sound of a zipper was heard, then he reached inside. "I think we can come to some sort of agreement." He handed him the exact cash for the bill, then his library card. "You go check out this book for me again, and I'll just keep checking it out until you finally bid it farewell for my television stand. Deal?" Yuuri looked at his library card. His name was signed on the back with flowing cursive handwriting. He looked back up at him, his smile was genuine and hopeful. Yuuri thought for a moment, biting the inside of his lower lip. 

"Okay." Victor clasped his hands together. "But, you'll have to come in and get your card tomorrow. We have a strict policy on-"

"So many policies for a library." He interrupted him with a sigh. Yuuri reached up and fixed his glasses that were sitting crooked on the bridge of his nose. "Is there anything else, little librarian?"

"No." He swallowed hard. He should've been frustrated, but his charm was so overwhelming that it made it hard for him to say no. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Nikiforov." 

"Victor is fine." He leaned on his door frame. "I'll see you tomorrow." His voice was so smooth.

"Have a good day." He turned on his heels and walked back the way he came and stopped in front of the elevator. He made the mistake of looking back before he stepped on and saw Victor standing in the hallway, in all his shirtless glory. He waved to Yuuri, who only raised his hand slightly in return. He quickly got on the elevator, his entire body burning once he was out of sight. His brown winter coat and scarf weren't helping. He leaned against the wall of the elevator, hands gripping the rail as he rode down to the ground floor.

Victor was unlike anything he was expecting. He was half expecting him to be arrogant and rude, especially in the high-class apartment building he lived in. He was self centered, and he could tell he had always gotten his way. He needed to be told no, but Yuuri wasn't capable after being captivated by his confidence and sparkling personality. He wasn't rude, per se, but he definitely knew how to get people to fall for his tricks. 

Yuuri was embarrassed that he was charmed out of doing his job. He was nearly stomping on his way back to the bus stop. 


	2. Just Say No

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just wanna say thanks for all the support on the first chapter for this T-T !! thank you so much for reading, it means the world <3

The wait for Victor was long. His library card was secured in his bag for the first half of the morning, then moved to his front pocket, where he thought it would be safer. Throughout the day, he would reach into his pocket and feel the plastic on his fingers, then remember why he was carrying it around with him in the first place. He didn't like being responsible for people's belongings; he wouldn't be able to stand the guilt if something were to happen to whatever it was he was babysitting. Despite his fear of losing his card, he kept it as safe and secure as he possibly could.

Each time the door opened, he would snap his head in the direction of the bell with the false hope of it being him. A few times, he was mistaken by silver hair belonging to an elderly gentleman or a hair-dyed teenager. 

As the day neared its end, Yuuri was convinced he wasn't coming. Still, he kept his tight hold on the plastic in his pocket. He didn't want to hunt him down again, but the fear of accidently putting it through the washing machine or losing it on the bus was almost more than he could handle. _Almost._ He decided, after an intense inner debate, that he would just leave it at the counter, safe in a drawer, for whenever Victor decided he should retrieve. 

"Your criminal is a no-show?" Yuuko asked, looking up to Yuuri who was standing on a ladder to place books on the upper shelves. He had told her the story once he came back to work the previous evening, to which she found the entire situation hilarious. 

"Unfortunately." He replied, then looked down at her. She was smiling, as always, with her bag on her shoulder. He took a glance at his watch. "Already time to leave?" 

"Yep. You leaving soon?" He looked to his full cart of books, then back to her. He climbed carefully down the ladder, holding the rails as he descended. "You can save those for tomorrow." 

"I don't mind. I would rather come in to empty carts." He offered her a smile. She sighed, her lips pressed together. 

"You work too hard sometimes." She stepped forwards and put a single arm around him, hugging him. Their friendship to him was special. Since they were kids, he had always looked up to her. She was only two years older than him and always kept a level head and always stayed by his side, which was enough for him to idolize her. When they were little, Yuuri thought about what it would be like to marry her, but Takeshi beat him to it. _For the better,_ he always told himself. She was perfect as his best friend, and he didn't want that to change. "Make sure you don't stay too late." She said, then released from their short hug.

"I won't." She turned to leave, sending him a smile and a wave before disappearing into the cold night. She didn't bother reminding him to lock up. He never forgot important things such as that, and never would. He cared too much about the library to leave it open to the world without the proper protection.

He pushed his cart of books to another shelf, one closer to the back of the store where they kept dictionaries and encyclopedias. He he set the ladder in front of the shelf to get to the A and B section for the dictionaries, then ascended his ladder once again with an armful of books. The door opened, but he didn't turn his head at the sound of the bell. He was no longer waiting; not in the same sense as he was during the day. 

"Forget something?" He called, then laughed to himself. He expected to hear Yuuko call back or run around the corner for her coat, but then he remembered she was wearing it when she left. What could she have forgotten? He turned his head to look behind him from the ladder, but couldn't see anything over the tall, wooden shelves. The library was closed, and it was also a _library_ , so what could someone want at this hour? "Hello?" He climbed back down his ladder, long forgetting about the books he left strewn on the top shelf. Just before his foot touched the floor, someone touched his shoulder. He gasped loudly and almost fell backwards, but his feet landed on the floor instead with the mysterious person's hand was still on his shoulder, insuring his safety. Or his doom. Fear pounded through his entire being, but dissipated once he saw who the criminal was.

"Sorry!" Victor exclaimed, laughing with a heart-shaped smile on his face. Yuuri could've hit him. "I didn't mean to scare you." 

"Victor." He let out an exasperated, yet relieved, sigh. It was heavy and came straight from his gut. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was told that you'd be keeping my library card hostage here, so I came to save it." His smirk never faltered as he spoke. "Are you closed?"

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up with these books." He motioned to the cart. "Oh, here," He reached into his pocket and pulled out the plastic that was warm from being pressed against his hip all day. He placed it into Victor's long, delicate hand. 

"Looks like I came just in time, then." Yuuri nodded, then turned back to his books. 

"Thanks for coming in." He climbed back up his ladder. "Have a good night." He started back on his task. He hoped that his words would have told him to leave, without being mean, but Victor stayed. He picked up several different books and flipped through the pages, then put them back on the cart. Yuuri watched him from the corner of his eyes. He looked like a nosy child who needed to touch every thing in their line of sight.

When he turned for more dictionaries, Victor was already holding one up to him. Yuuri looked past the book, seeing his shining face staring up at him. He could see his eyes much clearer now; they were a bright, icy blue, and looking at if a real star had been used to make each one. His eyelashes were long and the same color as his hair and eyebrows, which confirmed that his hair was naturally silver. Victor belonged in a magazine. He was so beautiful that he was surprised he wasn't locked away in a tower to keep his looks safe from the eyes of the world.

"Is this what you need?" He asked, his arm still extended upwards at him. He blinked, and took the book from his hand. "Dictionaries. People still use these?" 

"Yes." He replied, placing it on the shelf in its correct alphabetical place. 

"I'm surprised." He handed another, the last dictionary on the pile, up to him. He took it, hesitantly. 

"You don't have to help me, Victor." He placed the book on the shelf, then climbed down the ladder. Victor was smiling, still. "You can go." 

"I'm not busy." He shrugged. "Where to now?" He chirped. Yuuri looked at him again for a long moment. Since it was so late, he decided to let him help. If he was willing- he was- he would let him. It wouldn't hurt anything, and after the trouble he put him through with that stupid library card, he could call it his unspoken payback. 

"Science fiction." He said, then turned away from him and grabbed the ladder. Victor pushed the cart, following closely behind Yuuri.

And that's how they spent the next half hour. Yuuri would climb the ladder and tell him exactly which book he needed and Victor would find it and hand it up to him. Victor talked the entire time about his dog: Makkachin. He was passionate about his specific dog food, treats, and routine. Yuuri heard so much about this dog, that he never wanted to dog-sit for him. He would definitely steer clear of it at all costs. This poodle must've been like his child.

When Victor fell silent, he looked down at him. He was flipping through the books again, but was stopped to actually read a page in one. Yuuri watched him, his eyes moving slowly to read it. He stayed quiet for a moment; this looked like the moment someone decided to fall in love with reading, and he didn't want to mess it up. 

"Do you read a lot?" He finally asked, one leg propped on a higher step. Victor snapped his head up at him, then closed the book quickly. 

"Oh, no." He chuckled, then discarded it to the cart. "I don't read."

"You _can_ read though, right?" Yuuri asked, half joking. If he couldn't read, he would've felt really bad. Victor chortled. 

"I can read." He handed him another book. "I just don't. I never have liked it a whole lot." 

"Yet you got a library card." He said quizzically. He put it on the shelf, then started stepping down the ladder once again. 

"Should I take a picture of my television stand so you remember what's holding it?" He raised an eyebrow. Yuuri rolled his eyes.

"Please," He sighed. "I will remember that until the day I die. I have never seen such abuse towards a book." 

"C'mon, it's not that bad." 

"Says you." He started walking to their final shelf: romance. "I could suspend your card if I wanted to." He climbed the ladder halfway and extended his hand for the final books. "Besides, why don't you just buy a new television stand? They're not really that expensive." Victor was quiet after his question. He handed him the book, then looked at the one he was holding before. He opened it again, to a different spot, the grazed over the pages with wild eyes.

"Okay, library police." He said, then his face fell before he spoke again. "The TV stand was a gift." He replied to his question with the most vague answer he had, his face turned downwards into the book. There was a bitterness to his voice. Like an ache Yuuri couldn't quite shake. He'd wondered if he had said something wrong, but Victor bounced back quickly. "Can I take this one?" 

"That one?" He looked at the cover, his smile growing. "Carry On." He climbed down the ladder for the final time, then took the book from him. "Vampires and chosen ones. Do you like that kind of stuff?" 

"I don't know what I like." He admitted. "Like I said, I don't read." Yuuri flipped through the chapters of the young adult fiction, his smile never leaving. He remembered his first time reading it; he was younger than he was now, but this book helped him realize something that he never saw normalized in media; it's okay to kiss boys. 

"I think this would be a good start." He handed it back. "But, you must promise not to use it as a cutting board." He said jokingly and pointed at him. "That book is precious to me. Much more so than a Japanese cook book." Victor nodded, holding the book close to his chest. If it had been his own personal copy, he wouldn't be able to part with it.

"I'll protect it with my life." He swore, his face serious for just a moment. Yuuri narrowed his eyes at him, mainly for dramatic effect, but also because he didn't want to look away just yet. His lips were shiny and coated in a thin layer of lip gloss, which for some reason, Yuuri couldn't stop staring at them and the way the light danced on them as his lips moved into a smile. He was caught. "Something wrong?" 

"No, no." He turned away. Victor followed him with the empty cart behind him. "Just making sure you're serious." Victor parked the cart next to the other empty ones near the counter. Yuuri checked his book out using his library card that he handed back to him, then completed his closing duties, which were turning the lights out and making sure everything else was turned off and ready for the next morning.

"Thank you for helping me." He said, locking the door once they were both outside. Victor was still clutching the book to his chest. "You really didn't have to." 

"I said I wasn't busy." He was standing close to him. Their coats were touching, and Yuuri remembered his shirtless meeting just the day before. He quickly turned away and started walking. 

"Thank you, anyways." He called. "I have to go or I'll miss the last bus." He waved, his back still turned to him. 

"Wait, bus?" He called. Yuuri nodded, knowing he was watching him. "Let me drive you!" He called. Yuuri just kept walking. 

"That's okay!" He replied. "You've done more than enough. Thank you, Victor!" Victor unlocked his car and put the book in the backseat. His headlighted turned on with the unlocking, and illuminated the path to Yuuri. He jogged to him, catching him before he could go any farther.

"Yuuri," He said his name lowly upon reaching him. He looked up at him, their breath could be see coming out of them in short puffs. Yuuri's eyes were wide as he looked up at him. The light shining behind him left a halo around the shadow of his head. "Let me drive you." He said again, this time more urgent. Yuuri was tempted. It was cold, and the thought of taking the last ghostly bus of the night made it harder to say no. It had always been hard for him to say no to this man. Furiously hard, especially for only knowing him a little more than a day. 

He should've said no. The cold was pricking his eyes, making them water and their breath in front of him was fogging up his glasses. He was starting to shiver and so was Victor. If he had said no, there was no telling how much longer Victor would've stood out there and begged him to drive him. He couldn't stand the thought of another second in the freezing weather, so he succumbed. "Okay." He said, his voice wavering and the cold biting his throat. Victor grinned and led him to his car, his hand still holding loosely on his arm. 

Who was he to decline a ride from a handsome stranger?


End file.
